Charlotte is a beautiful, lush city with many thriving suburban communities that consistently have an influx of new residents from its extensive number of industry leaders that call the Queen City their headquarters. The local real estate market has high demand and rising property values! With this high demand and growth comes the need for change.
Recently Mecklenburg County announced the addition of new schools, which they term “relief schools” since they help relieve the pressure of schools that are bursting at the seams with students. While this decision may cause hesitation or concern, it will also ensure our growing city can serve many new families, allowing each student a place to learn with appropriate class sizes, teacher ratios, and closer student commutes.
So let’s address the elephant in the room and get the facts on Mecklenburg County School Board’s recent decision regarding rezoning of schools in South Charlotte. On June 6th, 2023, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education approved the student reassignment boundaries for the south county area and the addition of a new elementary, a new middle, and a new high school. In this blog, we aim to provide information, guidance, and potential solutions to help families navigate this transition.
Reason for Rezoning:
The superintendent’s relief plan is focused on reducing the distance to schools, leveling the utilization of buildings (i.e., reducing/eliminating the overcrowding), and improving the socioeconomic statistics of each school. The superintendent’s plan, which you can view here, provides projected numbers of improvement for all schools affected by the plan.
New South Charlotte Schools:
High School
Location: 12218 North Community House Road, Charlotte NC 28277
Schools being rezoned: Ardrey Kell, Myers Park, Providence, and South Meck High Schools
Estimated completion: August 2024, open for the 2024-2025 school year
You can follow along with construction updates, watch their live construction site camera, and view the planned design here.
Middle School
Location: Off of Tom Short Rd just North of Ardrey Kell Rd, exact address not available yet.
Schools being rezoned: Community House, Jay M. Robinson, Carmel, Alexander Graham, South Charlotte, Quail Hollow, Sedgefield, Crestdale, and Rea Farms Middle Schools.
Estimated completion: August 2025, open for the 2025-2026 school year.
Construction has not begun on this project yet.
Elementary School
Location: 11000 Beau Riley Road, Charlotte NC 28277
Schools being rezoned: Rea Farms, McKee Road, and Polo Ridge Elementary Schools.
Estimated completion: August 2024, open for the 2024-2025 school year
You can follow along with construction updates, watch their live construction site camera, and view the planned design here.
Affected Areas and Zoning Map:
To determine which areas and schools are affected by the rezoning, please refer to the map provided by Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools with the superintendent’s recommendations, which were approved by the Board on June 6, 2023. The map will show you the current school boundaries and the new boundaries that will apply once the new relief schools open.
Once on the map website, click on the layer icon in the top left corner and choose the boundary lines that you would like to view. Once you have the boundaries/school locations chosen, you can click on the legend icon just to the left of the layer icon in the top left corner. This will show which school each boundary color is zoned for. Here is a list of all of the different locations and zoning boundaries this map can provide:
- Current school locations for all elementary, middle and high schools
- New relief school locations
- Current zoning boundaries for all elementary, middle and high schools
- New zoning boundaries that will go into effect once the relief schools are open
Proposed Solutions:
While the decision has already been made, it is important to act and provide feedback constructively. Here are a couple of suggestions we have to address the concerns:
Transfer Forms: If your child is affected by the rezoning, you can consider exploring the option of completing a transfer form to request an exception or transfer to another school. These forms can be found here.
Relief School Suggestions Box: Actively take part in what the new schools can offer! We’ve created a relief school suggestions box to gather ideas for the new schools from the affected families. Suggestions could include mascot choices, extracurricular activities that you would like to see at the new schools, school names, and more. We will compile these suggestions and share them with the school board, with the hope that they will consider our input when making further decisions regarding the relief schools. You can participate in our relief school suggestions box by submitting your anonymous response here.
Conclusion:
Change can be challenging, especially when it involves our children's education. However, by staying informed, providing feedback, and exploring available options, we can navigate these changes together. As real estate agents and parents, we are here to support and guide you through this transition. If you are wondering how the rezoning could affect your property value, contact us and we will help you understand the market for your neighborhood so that you can get ahead of future buying or selling decisions. Together, we can help our families and communities adapt to the new South Charlotte relief boundaries and focus on the bright futures of the next generation!
